Acclaimed for her commanding performances and quiet confidence today, Shefali Shah’s journey to self-assurance has been anything but easy. The Delhi Crime 3 actor has opened up about her deeply painful childhood experiences, revealing how bullying, body shaming, and constant judgment left lasting scars that still influence her relationship with self-worth.
Appearing on Zoom’s Spotlight Sessions, Shefali spoke candidly about her career, her upcoming Netflix series, and the personal struggles she rarely discusses publicly. Reflecting on her school years, the actor recalled how being repeatedly criticised for her appearance made her feel invisible and unwanted. “When you are growing up, I’m not talking about my parents, but otherwise you are told that you’re not good-looking,” she shared. “I was bullied in school. Nobody liked me.”
Shefali recounted a particularly distressing memory of a classmate who would physically hurt her and mock her with cruel nicknames. “There used to be one girl who kept punching me. She called me ‘telu’,” she said. Years later, when Shefali ran into the same person, she felt nothing but pity—proof of how far she has come emotionally. She also spoke about the subtle but damaging comments many grow up hearing, such as being told they would look better if they were thinner. “It’s so much of it,” she added.
These experiences, Shefali admitted, have made it difficult for her to accept praise even today. She confessed that genuine compliments feel overwhelming and unfamiliar. “If somebody walked up to me and said something sweet, it would make my day. But when people say I’m beautiful, I can’t take the compliment,” she said, revealing how rarely she feels comfortable with her own reflection.
Shefali also shared a moment with her Delhi Crime 3 co-star Huma Qureshi, who once gently advised her to simply accept praise. “She told me, ‘Shef, it’s a compliment. Take it. Learn to take compliments,’” she recalled. Yet, her instinct remains to deflect appreciation by crediting her makeup team instead.
Closing on an honest note, Shefali acknowledged that self-acceptance is still a work in progress. “Some days I’m comfortable in my skin, some days I’m not. Most of the time, it feels like I’m not enough,” she said—offering a raw reminder that even the most admired faces battle insecurities behind the scenes.